The ideas that brought Malmö Eurovision

Posted 18 July 2012 at 20:00

In Malmö plans have already been forged regarding how the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö will be a success for all Malmö residents and visitors to the city. No matter how host broadcaster SVT produces the TV show, the city will take on its fair share of the organising with openness, diversity and heart.

"We do not have all the fine details yet but we have ideas and thoughts", says Johan Hermansson, director of tourism in Malmö City and one of the central pillars of Malmö's candidacy.

It was these ideas and thoughts that convinced the organisers that Malmö was the right city to award the Eurovision Song Contest to.

"Home turf" - for many countries

When Europe's favourite TV show was conceived, it was with the intention of uniting a war-torn Europe through music. Now Malmö wants to further that thought and once again turn the event into a power that unites and includes.

"SVT's idea is that it should be an open and inclusive event that stimulates integration and understanding. For us this feels natural and we are happy to further this ambition", says Johan Hermansson.

Johan Hermansson believes that many delegations can expect to have a strong home audience in attendance. 174 languages are spoken in Malmö. Denmark can expect the biggest amount of support after Sweden.

"We have big hopes there. There was a fantastic atmosphere in the city when Denmark played here in the Handball World Cup", says Johan Hermansson.

City to be decorated

SVT has specifically pointed out Malmö's infrastructure as one of its advantages over Stockholm, where some feared that delegation busses could get stuck in traffic.

With two airports within 20 minutes, it is easy to get to Malmö and there is a train station within 100 metres of the arena. The City Tunnel connects Malmö Arena to Malmö city, taking you from the heart of the city to the arena in less than five minutes.

In order to get the city into the right spirit flags, banners and streamers will decorate the city in large numbers. There is also talk of there being special lighting effects and flower arrangements.

"May is a rewarding time. You are going to have to actively look for a place where you cannot see that Eurovision is in town", says Johan Hermansson

The areas where Eurovision will take over

In a variety of locations inside the city, special events are being planned. Just like the other planning aspects, this is something that was discussed during the conception stage.

"In all areas we will use existing premises but often on a larger scale than we have done before. We have not built anything new and can continue to utilise everything after the event. SVT and the EBU are looking at our proposals and if they have other ideas then we are flexible. We have many possibilities in Malmö and are used to working with our urban spaces as part of events in the city", says Johan Hermansson.

Proposal: Euroclub (official party venue)

Proposal: Folkets Park (People's Amusement Park). Johan Hermansson: "This isn't just Folkets Park in the usual sense of the name, but a place where music and entertainment comes together with everything from clubs to children's stages and picnics. People with all interests pass through. There are a number of permanent stages there.

Euroclub will both be outside and inside. In terms of capacity we have flexibility given that the venues and areas are connected, and we believe that a Euroclub can be located over a number of spaces. In the city there is amongst other things a Debaser and Amiralen club and it might also be possible with a solution involving tents.

We want to back away from Eurovision just being for a select inner circle. The idea is inclusive; even if many people just go to the Malmö Arena, most people are going to be in the city and that's what we want to take care of".

Proposal: Eurovision Village

Proposal: Gustav Adolfs Torg. Johan Hermansson: "We want to make use of all our urban spaces. Gustav Adolfs Torg should not be missed; it is centrally located and is also used for Malmöfestivalen. Here we have thought of having an open space with music in the city centre that also includes food and has various themes at different times of day. Sponsors can possibly come together under a common theme.

We will take advantage of the weather, but it should not be a hindrance and we will open a fair bit of time beforehand, not just during the competition. I believe that this is something that will stand out compared with Eurovision Villages at previous contests".

Proposal: Welcome Reception

Proposal: Malmö Opera. "We have proposed and booked the Opera, which has a capacity of 1,200 people. We have been requested to keep it to that size. The Opera is a beautiful building that means a lot to Malmö. Here music is alive 365 days of the year. The piazza in front could also be used".

Proposal: Press Centre

Proposal: Malmömässan (Malmö Exhibition and Convention Centre), which is located right next to the arena and has covered access between the buildings. "It is a brand new facility that can be fitted out as required. There are 20,000 square metres of space so probably not all of it will be taken up by the Press Centre. There is also a restaurant and more on site".

Proposal: Live Shows

Malmö Arena. The content of the shows will be managed by Sveriges Television (SVT). "The city's cooperation with the arena is very good. Without the arena we could not have offered conditions to host the event. The journey to the arena from Kastrup airport in Denmark takes just 12 minutes. It's a faster journey than to Copenhagen Central Station".

The 2013 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden on the 14th, 16th and 18th of May with further details about the organisation to be published here and on Melodifestivalen.se in due course.

We thank Gustav Dahlander at SVT for providing the above, which was translated by Simon Storvik-Green (EBU).